Refrigerator Cabinet with Door Defogger

ABSTRACT

A refrigerated cabinet defines a product space and a door that controls access to the product space. The refrigerated cabinet includes a heat pump assembly configured to cool air by circulating a cooling medium through an evaporator and a cooler. The refrigerated cabinet includes a fan disposed to move air cooled by the heat pump through the product space. The refrigerated cabinet is configured so that the air that is heated when passing through the cooler is directed outside the cooling cabinet with the assistance of at least one air guide element that is formed in such a manner that the air directed to the outside sweeps past an outer side of the door of the refrigerated cabinet.

The present invention relates to refrigerated cabinets and individualcharacteristics of them, whereas the characteristics described below, inany combination, are part of the invention, provided that there are notechnical inconsistencies.

It must also be noted that the individual aspects can also be realizedin product display cabinets that do not serve the purpose of the coolingof products, such as food. Thus, the individual characteristics can alsobe realized in product display cabinets that do not serve asrefrigerated cabinets.

BACKGROUND

Generally, refrigerated cabinets with doors that can pivot aroundvertical pivot axes are known in the state of the art, whereas the doorsare preferably designed to be transparent and comprise one or moreinterconnected transparent glass panes.

The invention relates to the airflow within a refrigerated cabinet. Ingeneral, it is always desirable that condensation from air moisture doesnot occur on the inside and outside surfaces of the doors of arefrigerated cabinet, as this would impair the visibility of the productspace.

First, the refrigerated cabinet, which takes into account thisrequirement, features a heat pump assembly, through which the air iscooled in the product space. The heat pump assembly comprises acompressor for a heat transfer medium, in which the pressure of thegaseous heat transfer medium flowing into the compressor is increased,whereas the heat transfer medium remains gaseous. The temperature of theheat transfer medium is thereby increased. The heated heat transfermedium then enters the area of a heat exchanger (another name:condenser). There, the heat transfer medium condenses and therebyreleases heat to the surrounding area of the heat exchanger.

The heat transfer medium condensed by the heat exchanger enters, inliquid form, the area of a throttle element, in which the pressure ofthe heat transfer medium is reduced without changing the state ofaggregation. The heat transfer medium is thereby further cooled.

From the throttle element, the cold liquid heat transfer mediumultimately enters an evaporator. There, the heat transfer medium absorbsheat from the air, which is conducted past the evaporator (a fan, i.e.,a ventilator or a blower, for example, serves this purpose). Due to theheat absorption, the heat transfer medium evaporates and enters backinto the evaporator, such that the heat transfer medium circuit isclosed.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to prevent the doors from fogging up in the area of their lowerouter side because of condensation from air moisture, it is advantageousif the air heated by the heat exchanger condenser is directed from therefrigeration cabinet into its surrounding area in such a manner that,when leaving the refrigerated cabinet or shortly thereafter, it sweepspast the lower outside of one or more doors of the refrigerated cabinet.The warm air prevents fogging up, or if condensation already has formedin such area (for example, during a period in which the heat pumpassembly is not being operated), then the warm air absorbs thecondensation from the door.

Preferably, the refrigerated cabinet features one or more inlets,through which air from the surrounding area of the refrigerated cabinetcan flow into the refrigerated cabinet. The incoming air is sucked in bymeans of a fan (for example) and flows through one or more channels intothe interior of the cabinet. The specified channel(s) should beseparated from the cavity(ies) through which the air that is sucked outfrom the product space and flows back into the product space aftercooling by the evaporator is guided.

The inlet(s) is/are preferably arranged in the upper area of therefrigerated cabinet, for example in the ceiling area or in the area ofthe cabinet head. Likewise, an arrangement in the sides or bottom areaof the refrigerated cabinet is possible.

Furthermore, the refrigerated cabinet should feature one or more outletsthrough which the air sucked in through the inlet(s) is able to onceagain flow out of the refrigerated cabinet after it has been heated bythe condenser.

The outlet(s) is/are preferably located in the area of the side(s) ofthe refrigerated cabinet on which doors are located. Preferably, theoutlet(s) is/are arranged in the bottom area of the refrigeratedcabinet. In particular, the outlet(s) may be arranged in a manneradjacent to a ram protector (when looking at the doors, preferablybehind, above and/or below the ram protector), extending along theside(s) on which doors are also arranged.

In particular, it is advantageous if the outlet(s) is/are allocated withone or more air guide elements, whereas the air outlet(s) may also bepart of the outlet(s).

The air guide element, of which several may also be present, may bepresent, for example, as an air baffle (made of metal or plastic). Inparticular, it brings about a deflection of the air flowing out of theoutlet(s) in the direction of one or more doors in their lower area.

The refrigerated cabinet may feature only a single product space or asingle front with one or more doors. However, is also conceivable thatthe refrigerated cabinet comprises a combination of individual cabinets,in particular several so-called “long cabinets” or several so-called“cabinet end sections,” or a mixture of the two.

In particular, each individual cabinet of a refrigeration cabinetconsisting of several cabinets is to feature its own heat pump assembly.Moreover, the remaining sections/components/elements are to be presentseparately for each individual cabinet. Thus, the individual cabinetsare preferably so-called “ready-to-plug-in” cabinets, which feature allof the components necessary for the operation of the cabinet.

Preferably, the refrigerated cabinet comprises at least two longcabinets, which are placed with their backs against each other, suchthat the doors of the two long cabinets are arranged on two opposites,outwardly facing and mutually parallel outer sides of the refrigeratedcabinet.

Preferably, a cavity is present between the two long cabinets, throughwhich it is preferable that air that is sucked in above flows down intoone or more cavities, in which one or more heat exchangers are arranged.

It is also advantageous if the refrigerated cabinet features two times Xlong cabinets (X is between 1 and 10), whereas, in each case, two longcabinets are next to each other with their rear sides turned away fromthe doors. If there are more than two long cabinets, it is also alwaysthe case that the same number of long cabinets are arranged side byside.

Each of the long cabinets features a front side with one or more doors,through which the product space behind it is accessible. It is alsoadvantageous if a cabinet end section is arranged in the area of one orboth end faces of the refrigerated cabinet. The respective cabinet endsection serves as a connection between two adjacent long cabinets thatare placed with their backs against each other.

In particular, the cabinet end section is arranged in such a mannerthat, with its rear side, it adjoins one side of each long cabinet,whereas the specified side is the area that is perpendicular to the doorfront of the long cabinet.

Preferably, the rear side of the cabinet end section is at leastpartially open, such that shelves can extend from the long sides to theproduct space of the adjacent cabinet end section.

The cabinet end section(s) preferably also feature doors, whereas doorsare arranged in the area that runs perpendicular to the door front ofthe long cabinet (=plane formed by the doors of the long cabinet). Inaddition or alternatively, doors are to be arranged in the plane of thecabinet end section(s) that is/are parallel to or in the same plane inwhich the doors of the long cabinet are located.

Thus, the refrigerated cabinet may consist of several individualcabinets. Preferably, an even number of long cabinets is present,whereas the long cabinet features doors only in the area of a frontside, whereas the front side extends in the width direction of the longcabinet. Thus, a long cabinet has a rear side, two sides runningperpendicular to it and the specified front side, through which theproduct space is accessible.

Preferably, two or in each case two long cabinets have their rear sidesagainst each other, such that the long cabinets feature doors on twosides facing away from each other.

The refrigerated cabinet also includes one or two cabinet end section.With its rear side, a first cabinet end section can adjoin, in eachcase, a first side of two adjacently placed long cabinets. With its rearside, a second cabinet end section (if present) can adjoin, in eachcase, a second side of the specified long cabinet. In place of one longcabinet, more than two long cabinets can be arranged between the twocabinet end section0). Moreover, only one cabinet end section may bepresent.

All long cabinets of the refrigerated cabinet are to feature doors inthe area of its front side. All cabinet end sections are to featuredoors in the area of their front side and their two sides. The doors arepreferably designed as sliding doors.

In addition, the sides of the long cabinets that adjoin a cabinet endsection are not to feature a continuous side wall. Thus, the productspace preferably extends from one or two cabinet end sections into thetwo adjacent long cabinets. If more than two long cabinets are present,the product spaces of laterally adjacent long cabinets are to beconnected to each other; that is, they are not separated by partitions.

The refrigerated cabinet preferably has a single product space, whereasthis preferably extends into a cabinet end section and two (or X times2) adjacent long cabinets, or into two cabinet end sections and the longcabinets arranged between them.

The sides of the long cabinet, which do not adjoin either an additionallong cabinet or a cabinet end section, may feature a closed, continuousside wall, whereas such side wall may be formed, in whole or in part, byone or more glass panes, in order to enable views into the product spacefrom the specified sides.

Moreover, a part of the invention is also a cabinet end section thatfeatures one or more doors both in the area of its front side and in thearea of one or both sides.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantages of the invention are described in the followingembodiments. This following is shown, in each case schematically:

FIG. 1 a front elevation view of a refrigerated cabinet,

FIG. 2 a cross-sectional view of a refrigerated cabinet,

FIG. 3 a perspective of the exterior of a refrigerated cabinet,

FIG. 4 the view in accordance with FIG. 3 with additional details of theinterior.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

In the following, characteristics of refrigerated cabinets 1 and theircomponents are described, whereas the individual characteristics can becombined as desired, provided that no obvious inconsistencies arise.

In addition, it must be noted that in figures that feature identical andthus identically represented elements or sections, in some cases, onlyone of the elements or sections is provided with a reference sign, inorder to ensure a proper overview. Finally, it must be clarified that,in all of the figures, not all sections/components are provided with areference sign if they have already been provided with a reference signin earlier figures.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a refrigerated cabinet 1 with a frame 28(that is, a base element to which the other elements of the refrigeratedcabinet 1 are attached, directly or indirectly), a multiple number ofdoors 2 that are pivotable around a vertical pivot axis, whereas, as arule, the doors 2 comprise one or more glass panes 17 spaced apart fromeach other, which allow views into the interior of the refrigeratedcabinet 1.

The mounting of each door 2 includes a lower door bearing (not shown)and an upper door bearing 4, such that each door 2 can be pivoted aroundits two bearings, for example with the assistance of a handle 3, betweenan open position and a closed position. Alternatively, it is of coursealso conceivable to move the doors 2 with the assistance of a drive.

As FIG. 1 further shows, the doors 2 are mounted through their upperdoor bearing 4 on or in the so-called cabinet head 5. This comprises,for example, a horizontal transverse strut that forms the upper area ofthe refrigerated cabinet 1 or is arranged behind a panel.

Preferably, no vertical supports are arranged between the individualdoors 2, in order not to impair the view into the interior of therefrigerated cabinet 1.

FIG. 2 shows an additional advantageous aspect in which a cross-sectionof a double-sided refrigerated cabinet 1 is shown. In all otherrespects, selections/elements that are presented identically and arethus identical are provided with a reference sign with only one of thetwo long cabinets 65 (FIG. 3) of the refrigerated cabinet 1, in order toensure a proper overview.

ln principle, the refrigeration unit 1 comprises two mirror-inverted oridentically structured long cabinets 65, which stand with their backsagainst each other. Each of the long cabinets 65 has a frame 28, amultiple number of doors 2, which are mounted on a sliding manner on theframe 28 by means of a mounting (not shown), a multiple number ofshelves 51 for the presentation of food, along with a heat pump assemblyfor cooling the product space 67.

The heat pump assembly comprises, among other things, a heat transfermedium circuit with a compressor (not shown), an evaporator 53, throughwhich the air conducted past by means of a fan 58 is cooled, a throttleelement (not shown) and a heat exchanger 54 (condenser) for the heattransfer medium.

During the operation of the heat pump assembly, through the action of afan 58, air flows from the product space 67 through an air inlet 52 intoa first cavity 55, which is formed as an air guide channel 49. There,the air is cooled with the assistance of the evaporator 53, andultimately flows through an air outlet 50 back into the product space67.

A second air stream extends from upper inlets 75 between the rear sidesof the long cabinet 65, and is moved into lower cavities 55 of the longcabinet 65 by means of an additional fan 58. The inlets 75 are formed,for example, by disks spaced apart by means of individual supports 61,whereas two locking disks 60, which, in a manner not shown, areconnected to the frame 28 of the long cabinet 65, may be covered by acommon cover disk 59.

In the lower cavities 55, the air ultimately flows around the condenser54 and is thereby heated. In order to avoid the fogging up of the doors2 in their lower area, it is advantageous if, with the assistance of airguide elements 57, the heated air, after leaving the cavities 55, isconducted past the outer sides of the doors 2, and continuously driesthe doors 2 and/or protects them from fogging up. The air outlet takesplace through one or more outlets 76, which could be formed to be, forexample, slit-shaped.

The air guide elements 57 may comprise, for example, air baffles thatguide the air in the area of a ram protector 56 arranged at the bottominto the area of the doors 2 and configured to protect the doors 2against being rammed by a shopping cart. The corresponding air flow 48is shown by dashed lines.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an additional aspect of a refrigerated cabinet 1.While FIG. 3 reveals the outer characteristics of the refrigeratedcabinet 1, a part of the interior of the refrigerated cabinet 1 can beseen in FIG. 4.

ln general, the individual doors 2 include transparent glass panes 17schematically shown in FIG. 1, such that the view into the product space67 is ensured even if the doors 2 are closed, even if this does notappear in FIG. 3.

In general, in the case shown schematically in FIG. 4, the refrigeratedcabinet 1 consists of two long cabinets 65, which are the sectionsarranged back-to-back with the glass doors defining the exterior, andone cabinet head end section 64 disposed at one end of the long cabinets65, whereas the individual sections 64, 65, 65 are placed against eachother and are connected to each other as required. The connection areaof the two long cabinets 65 and the cabinet end section 64 isschematically characterized in FIG. 4 by a line provided with thereference sign 63. Moreover, an additional cabinet end section 64 canalso be arranged on the left rear side of the view schematicallydepicted in FIG. 4, such that the two long cabinets 65 can be connected,in the area of their end faces, by means of a second cabinet head endsection 64.

Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows that inside the refrigerated cabinet 1, acommon display with one or more shelves 51 may be arranged, whichshelves may be attached by means of, for example, a center support 66.The shelves 51 extend both into the region of the long cabinets 65 andinto the region of the cabinet end section(s) 64, such that a commonproduct space 67 is formed.

In order to be able to reach all of the products placed on the shelves51 from the outside, it is provided that the cabinet end section 64features a plurality of doors 2. Thus, doors 2 may be arranged on thesides that constitute the extension of the long cabinets 65 and theirdoors. In addition, doors 2 may be arranged in the region of the cabinetend section(s) 64, which extend perpendicular to the doors 2 of the longcabinets 65. As a result, finally, three sides (if only one cabinet endsection 64 is present) or even four sides (if two cabinet end sections64 are present) may be opened by opening the respective doors 2.

Of course, more than two long cabinets 65 may be present between the twocabinet end sections 64; such long cabinets 65 are then arranged side byside.

This invention is not limited to the illustrated and describedembodiments. Variations within the framework of the claims, such as anycombination of the described characteristics, are also possible, even ifthey are presented and described in different parts of the descriptionand/or the claims, or in different embodiments, provided that there isno inconsistency regarding the teaching of the independent claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

1 Refrigerated cabinet

2 Door

3 Handle

4 Upper door bearing

5 Cabinet head

17 Glass pane

28 Frame

48 Air flow

49 Air guide channel

50 Air outlet

51 Shelves

52 Air inlet

53 Evaporator

54 Condenser

55 Cavity

56 Ram protector

57 Air guide element

58 Fan

59 Cover disk

60 Locking disk

61 Support

63 Connection area

64 Cabinet End Sections

65 Long cabinet

66 Center support

67 Product space

75 Inlet

76 Outlet cm 1-15. (canceled)

16. Refrigerated cabinet defined by a main frame that defines a productspace in the interior thereof, the refrigerated cabinet comprising: adoor carried by the main frame and moveable between an open position anda closed position so as to control access to the product space, the doordefining an outer side disposed outside the cabinet when the door isdisposed in the closed position; a heat pump assembly carried by themain frame and disposed within the interior of the main frame, the heatpump assembly being configured to cool air and including an evaporatorand a condenser; a first fan carried by the main frame and disposedwithin the interior of the frame, the first fan being configured to movethe cool air through the product space; a second fan carried by the mainframe and disposed within the interior of the frame, the second fanbeing configured to move air past the condenser to become a heated airflow; a cavity disposed within the main frame and defining an outletcommunicating outside the refrigerated cabinet, the cavity beingconfigured to carry the heated air flow from the condenser to the outletof the cavity; and an air guide element disposed at the outlet of thecavity and configured to guide the heated air flow to the outer side ofthe door.
 17. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, wherein therefrigerated cabinet defines an inlet, through which air from theenvironment surrounding the outside of the refrigerated cabinet can flowinto the interior of the refrigerated cabinet.
 18. Refrigerated cabinetas in claim 16, wherein the refrigerated cabinet defines a channel inthe interior of the refrigerated cabinet, wherein the evaporator isdisposed within the channel, and wherein the channel is configured anddisposed so that operation of the first fan draws air from the productspace into the channel.
 19. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, whereinthe channel is defined separate from the cavity such that air that issucked out from the product space by operation of the second fan doesnot move directly into the channel.
 20. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim16, wherein the inlet s disposed in an upper region of the productspace.
 21. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, wherein the outlet islocated in the region of the frame disposed beneath the door. 22.Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, wherein the outlet is arranged at abottom region of the outside of the refrigerated cabinet. 23.Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, wherein the cavity is disposed in alower region of the product space of the refrigerated cabinet. 24.Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, further comprising a ram protectorand wherein the outlet is arranged in manner adjacent to the ramprotector.
 25. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 24, wherein the airguide element is disposed between the outlet and the ram protector. 26.Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16, wherein the air guide elementdefines an air baffle configured to bring about a deflection of the airflowing out of the outlet and in a direction that is generally parallelto the outer side of the door.
 27. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 16,wherein the refrigerated cabinet includes a plurality of product spacesand a plurality of doors.
 28. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 27,further comprising a plurality of heat pump assemblies, wherein arespective one of the plurality of heat pump assemblies is disposed toprovide cool air flow to a respective one of the plurality of productspaces.
 29. Refrigerated cabinet defined by a main frame that defines aproduct space in the interior thereof, the refrigerated cabinetcomprising: a first door carried by the main frame and moveable betweenan open position and a closed position so as to control access to theproduct space, the first door defining an outer side disposed outsidethe cabinet when the first door is disposed in the closed position; asecond door carried by the main frame and moveable between an openposition and a closed position so as to control access to the productspace, the second door defining an outer side disposed outside thecabinet when the second door is disposed in the closed position; a firstheat pump assembly carried by the main frame and disposed within theinterior of the main frame, the first heat pump assembly beingconfigured to cool air and including a first evaporator and a firstcondenser; a second heat pump assembly carried by the main frame anddisposed within the interior of the main frame, the second heat pumpassembly being configured to cool air and including a second evaporatorand a second condenser; a first fan carried by the main frame anddisposed within the interior of the frame, the first fan beingconfigured to move the cool air through the product space; a second fancarried by the main frame and disposed within the interior of the frame,the second fan being configured to move the cool air through the productspace; a third fan carried by the main frame and disposed within theinterior of the frame, the third fan being configured to move air pastthe first condenser to become a first heated air flow, the third fanbeing configured to move air past the second condenser to become asecond heated air flow; a first cavity disposed within the main frameand defining a first outlet communicating outside the refrigeratedcabinet, the first cavity being configured to carry the first heated airflow from the first condenser to the first outlet of the first cavity; asecond cavity disposed within the main frame and defining a secondoutlet communicating outside the refrigerated cabinet, the second cavitybeing configured to carry the second heated air flow from the secondcondenser to the second outlet of the second cavity; a first air guideelement disposed at the first outlet of the first cavity and configuredto guide the first heated air flow in a direction parallel to the outerside of the first door; and a second air guide element disposed at thesecond outlet of the second lower and configured to guide the secondheated air flow in a direction parallel to the outer side of the seconddoor.
 30. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 29, wherein the refrigeratedcabinet defines a common channel having an inlet disposed incommunication with the product space and an outlet disposed incommunication with the first cavity and with the second cavity. 31.Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 30, wherein the third fan is disposedwithin the common channel between the inlet of the common channel andthe outlet of the common channel.
 32. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim29, wherein the first air guide element defines an air baffle configuredto bring about a deflection of the air flowing out of the outlet and ina direction that is generally parallel to the outer side of the firstdoor.
 33. Refrigerated cabinet as in claim 29, wherein the first cavityis disposed in a lower region of the product space of the refrigeratedcabinet.